Arduino

ARDUINO

Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for anyone making interactive projects. Senses the environment by receiving inputs from many sensors, and affects its surroundings by controlling lights, motors, and other actuators. You can tell your Arduino what to do by writing code in the Arduino programming language and using the Arduino development environment.

There are many other microcontrollers and microcontroller platforms available for physical computing. Parallax Basic Stamp, Netmedia's BX-24, Phidgets, MIT's Handyboard, and many others offer similar functionality. All of these tools take the messy details of microcontroller programming and wrap it up in an easy-to-use package. 

Also simplifies the process of working with microcontrollers, but it offers some advantage for teachers, students, and interested amateurs over other systems:

-Inexpensive

-Cross-platform

-Simple, clear programming environment

-Open source and extensible software

-Open source and extensible hardware

There are different kind of Arduino: 

Arduino BT, Arduino Due, Arduino Fio, Arduino Leonardo and Micro, Arduino Esplora, LilyPad Arduino USB, LilyPad Arduino, Arduino Mini, Arduino Nano, Arduino Pro, Arduino Pro Mini, Arduino Robot, Arduino Yún, Arduino ISP.

Reference Links:

http://arduino.cc/

http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/Introduction

http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage